Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-05-21
FLORENCE. MAY 21. 1887
RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.
Thrilling Scene at the Death of Murder er-The Victim Gives the Signal
 to Fire.

er-The Victim Gives the Signal
 to Fire.
 Scnor Blanco, a man noted for his desperate character, says writer in the New York Times, had in Dajabon brutally and in most cowardiy man. ner murdered an inoffcnsive person for some fancied slight. The murderer es- capped into the swamps at El Cupev, but the governor with commendablc prompt itude exerted himself with great vigor. and after search of ten days one of the searching parties sent out by him ran across the fellow in part of the swamp inhabited only by alligators, and, tying him up, brought him back. He was tried for the murder and sen fenced to death. San Domingo, more advanced than America, doesn't use the rope to execute it's criminals, but shoots them, and part of the public plaza is set apart for that unpleasant ceremony. The criminal is brought out and, placed with his back to low brick wall built for the purpose of stopping bullets, re- ceives his leaden death.
 At the appointed tme, Blanco-a magnificent specimen of man, tall, powerful, and with all the courage of desperation-was taken from his place of confinement in the little jail and pre- pared to be marched out to his fate. The brayy irons which manacled his wrists and ankles were removed, sand he was allowed to make his last toilet. This he did, tightening his collar 2 lit tie, and touching up the set of his Tstist- bands, and then, with as firm step and as unfaltering an air as if he had been going to receive the highest honor, he stepped into his place between two armed soldiers and waited quietly until with measured steps the rest of the rifed guard-twenty-five in number closed in upon all sides of him. Obey ing the order to march, with as much military precision as those who guarded him, the condemned murderer started to his death. The march was straight through the heart of the town, the streets crowded with people who were going to see him die, and Blanco glanced at them with a palpable sheer, disfiguring his handsome mouth. His courageous bearing impressed even those people, accustomed as they are 10 scenes of the kind, and, with Q wonderful forbear- ance. they did not throw stones at him or even attempt to deride him. Arrived at the plaza, where the governor and his staff. all in full uniform, and crowd of people were waiting for them, the guard and their prisoner halted. They stood at just the right distance from the fatal spot upon which Blanco was to stand, and which was already marked by the grisly black coffin which was so soon to receive its burden. At movement from the captain Blanco stepped firmly forward, and in long strides walked up to his position, and, stopping, turned around and faced his executioners. There was a pause, broken by the clear voice of the murder CT asking for permission to give the word to fire. The request was so un- usual that the captain was for mo- ment nonplussed, but at a sign from the governor he simply bowed his as- sent and Blanco, apparently satisfied, began calmly to take off his coat. This being accomplished, he slowly opened his shirt front, and, barring his pro- . truding breasts braced himself to meet his death blow. There was q ra..l.-Ss muskets as the file, at a sharp com mand from their officer, brought their pieces to aim" and there was another deadly pause as the men waited for the doomed to give the word to fire. It was again broken by Blanco's clear voice: 'Shoot at the breast of a man. FireF The blast which rang out from those twenty-five deadly weapons was deafening. Through the cloud of smoke saw Blanco. For a second after the discharge he stood perfectly still, not a quiver distorting his placed features. His arms hung loosely down at his sides, and his hands were tightly clinched Then, without any bending of the knees, he fell forward on his face. As he did so his arms-the hands unclinched as he fell-rose slowly above head, and, reaching the ground, his fingers buried themselves in the soft, grassy earth. For more than ten seconds did he re- main in that position, when, with the last convulsive energy of life, and by movement which no athlete could re- peat, he sprang straight upon his feet, his hands tearing away little punches of earth adhered to grass as he rose. Glar- ing at his eXecutioners with a look of hatred that shall never be effaced from my memory of this scene he, with a quick movement, raised his two hands and flung with wonderful power the dirt straight at the heads of the soldiers in front of hlm. Before the earthly missiles had reached their destination Blaneo sank down upon and across his coffin and was dead.